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2015 NIFA Indigenous Women's Soccer Team Canada Category Team Tribes Team Canada Year Inducted 2022 NIFA Women’s Indigenous Team Canada won the inaugural World Indigenous Games soccer championship in 2015. The World Indigenous Games is a multi-sport event with over 2,000 athletes from 30 countries. Indigenous Team Canada, with nine of its 17 players from First Nations communities across BC, played six games against teams from Brazil, Peru and Chile. In the Championship Final, the Canadian team played the host Brazilian Indigenous Nation of Xerente in front of 10,000 local supporters. Regulation play ended 0-0, the Canadian team becoming champions by scoring on three penalty kicks to one. The team repeated its achievement at the 2017 World Indigenous Games.On their return, the team received a letter from Canada Soccer, in which President Victor Montagliani expressed Canada Soccer’s congratulations and pride in this “monumental victory” of Indigenous Team Canada. BC Soccer Hall of Fame and Heritage Archive Web-Site – Click on Full Biography: Home Film Screenings 2026 2026 Banquet 2026 Banquet Sponsorship About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

< Back Michael “Bo” Vocu Michael “Bo” Vocu Oglala Sioux Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete/Builder 2025 Michael “Bo” Vocu is a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, originally from Kyle, SD, and has made a significant mark in the rodeo world. Raised on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Bo was inspired by the rodeo legends around him, especially his father, Dale, and aspired to follow in their footsteps. His dedication to the sport led him to a successful career in bull riding, earning him numerous accolades. Bo qualified for the South Dakota High School Rodeo Finals all four years and was named runner-up state champion in 1992. Bo later attended Chadron State College on a rodeo scholarship, where he continued to refine his skills and build his legacy in the sport. Bo’s professional career took off in 1994 when he qualified for the Indian National Finals Rodeo (INFR) for the first time. This marked the beginning of 14 INFR qualifications over the course of his career. In 1997, Bo moved to Arizona, where his bull riding career flourished. He won numerous titles and was crowned the All Indian Professional Rodeo Association World Champion in 2000. Bo takes pride in competing and winning at major Indian rodeos across the country and the lifelong friendships he’s formed along the way. He also participated in the PRCA and PBR, retiring in 2010 at the INFR. Beyond his competitive success, Bo’s impact on rodeo deepened when he became a commissioner of the INFR in 2007. He played a crucial role in relocating the INFR to Las Vegas, NV, and in developing programs for rodeo officials and stock contractors. In 2010, Bo and his fellow commissioners made it mandatory to include both junior and senior events at all INFR rodeos and Finals, preserving the family legacy of the sport. He was also instrumental in establishing the INFR Hall of Fame to honor the achievements of legendary athletes and contributors. As president of the INFR for the past decade, Bo has overseen the crowning of 228 INFR World Champions. Under his leadership, the INFR has grown into one of the largest rodeo organizations in North America and continues to grow every year. Bo’s favorite moment remains to see junior contestants receive their back numbers—a symbol of their entry into the sport and fulfilling dreams that inspire him daily. He knows the sport of rodeo will live on! In addition to his personal achievements, Bo also helped establish and coach the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Team Wolves, an all-Indian team that competed for three years in the PBR Global Cup, further solidifying his legacy and commitment to advancing Native representation in rodeo and bull riding. Michael “Bo” Vocu’s influence on the rodeo world extends far beyond his impressive list of personal accomplishments. Through his leadership, vision, and dedication to preserving the traditions of the sport, Bo has become a key figure in the rodeo community, particularly in promoting Native American involvement and representation. His contributions to the INFR, the PBR Team Wolves, and the next generation of rodeo athletes ensure that his impact will continue to inspire and shape the future of the sport for years to come. With an unwavering commitment to family, tradition, and community, Bo Vocu’s legacy in the rodeo world is one of enduring excellence. <Back

< Back Jerry Louie-McGee Jerry Louie-McGee Coeur d’Alene Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Jerry Louie-McGee’s high school career started in the city of Coeur d’Alene in Idaho at Lake City High School. He was named to the 2014 American Family Insurance All-USA Idaho Football Team after his senior season, was a 5-A All Idaho Selection, rushed for 757 yards and seven touchdowns and caught passes for 1104 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior. He was named Inland Empire League MVP as a senior, and won a 2014 Idaho Class 5A State Track Championship as a junior in the 400 meters. Louie-McGee was an All Conference receiver and special team’s returner three years, Team Offensive Player of the Year his junior year and MVP senior year. Louie-McGee committed to the University of Montana Grizzlies in his senior year and redshirted in 2015. During the 2016 season, he was named a finalist for the Stats FCS Jerry Rice Award for the nation’s top freshman athlete. He was also named All Big Sky Honorable Mention receiver and punt returner. Louie-McGee broke the school and Big Sky record for receptions in a game (21), broke the school record for average receptions in a game with 9.1 and averaged 19.2 yards per punt return, had 981 all-purpose yards and a 122.6 total yards per game. His sophomore year he was named All Big Sky Honorable Mention as a wide receiver and return specialist, led the team with 50 receptions with 1000 all-purpose yards. During his junior season he was named All Big Sky punt returner, and All Big Sky Honorable Mention receiver. During his senior season he was named Root Sports Big Sky Special Team Player of the Week twice, Stats FCS National Special Teams Honorable Mention, and HERO Sports FCS All American punt returner and First Team Big Sky Conference punt returner. Louie-McGee has the school record for most receptions in a career with 237. After receiving his degree in psychology, Louie-McGee has been the Behavioral Health Case Manager for his tribe in Idaho and assists people through difficult times with their mental health and healing from intergenerational and current trauma. Louie-McGee’s dad Wade was also inducted into the NAIAHF class of 2024. <Back

Michael Thomas Category Official Tribe St. Croix Ojibwe Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 4/21/1955 Michael Thomas is a Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) basketball official for 27 years, officiating the State Tournament for 11 years with two championship games. He started officiating basketball for all Native American basketball tournaments and quickly worked his way to MSHSL and up to the varsity level. The highlight of his career is officiating for Native youth that make it to the State Tournament. Michael has been involved in many different sports as a player himself, coach or official. Personal highlights include winning the State Championship in boxing and on to Nationals in Reno Nevada. Scoring 67 points in a single basketball game at the Minneapolis American Indian Center. Coaching his grandkids and great grandkids in multiple sports, with many championship trophies to prove it. Michael served in the US Army for three years and has done honor guard at Pow Wows as a veteran. He sang on his father’s drum, Minneapolis Ojibwe, with his brothers for many years, he is an avid deer hunter and was a postal carrier for 32 years. Michel is most proud of the family he raised with his wife, Debra who he has been married to for 46 years. Home Film Screenings 2026 2026 Banquet 2026 Banquet Sponsorship About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

< Back Alvin Begay Jr. Alvin Begay Jr. Navajo Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Alvin Begay Jr. was born and raised on the Navajo Nation in Ganado, Arizona. Alvin tells his personal story of growing up in a traditional Hogan herding sheep and riding horses. Alvin’s family did not have a vehicle so he ran three to four miles to Ganado Trading Post and the post office for mail or errands for his parents. On one occasion, Alvin’s older sister asked him to run for help to the hospital, as she was in labor ready to give birth. He turned around after notifying the hospital and almost beat the ambulance back to his sister’s home. Alvin won a blue ribbon in sixth grade for running and leaving everyone behind by a great distance. Winning the blue ribbon was the beginning of a running career for Alvin, as he became one of the best high school runners in Arizona cross-country and track. Alvin won state cross country in 1978 and was a high school All American. In 1982, Alvin ran for Haskell Jr. College where he was second team All American in cross-country, and in 1983 he was second team All American running indoor track. Coach Gerald Tuckwin talked about Alvin as one of the best runners he coached. Alvin ran the 1985 Colorado Springs Pepsi Challenge 10K races winning and qualifying for the Western States Pepsi Challenge 10k where he finished with a time of 29.34 behind Rod Dixon. Alvin returned to school in 1986 at Dine College running at the collegiate level again winning the men’s NJCAA National Marathon championship and All American honors. The family’s most memorable races was Alvin winning the 1988 Duke City Marathon in a time of 2.20.50. The 10k Sedona Road race where Alvin surprised the elite runners by winning first place in a time of 28.34. Alvin’s notable running accomplishments include winning the Washington Pass now Narbona Pass Classic 10k race five times. Alvin is a full time rancher and enjoys the company of his sheep, cattle, horses and dogs. <Back

< Back Oren Lyons Oren Lyons Onondaga Nation Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2022 Oren Lyons, Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan, Onondaga Nation. He serves on the Grand Council of Chiefs of the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy –Haudenosaunee. Oren holds the title of Professor Emeritus at SUNY Buffalo, has a Doctor of Laws Degree from his Alma Mater, Syracuse University and Lyons Hall at SU is named in his honor. Chief Lyons is an All-American Lacrosse Hall of Famer, and Honorary Chairman of the Iroquois Nationals Lacrosse Team. He is an accomplished artist, environmentalist, author, and global presenter and holds the title of Wisdom Keeper. He is a leading voice at the UN Permanent Forum on Human Rights for Indigenous Peoples, serves on the Executive Committee of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders for Human Survival, acts as Chairman of the Board for both the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development and Seventh Generation Fund. Recipient of several prestigious awards including Green Cross International Environmental Icon Award, founded by Mikhail Gorbachev. The United Nations NGO World Peace Prize, the Ellis Island Congressional Medal of Honor, The Rosa Parks and George Arents Award for Environmental and social activism and receiving Sweden’s prestigious Friends of the Children Award with his colleague the late Nelson Mandela, also included in his list of acknowledgments are the UN World Peace Prize, Ellis Island Congressional Medal of Honor, Native American Hall of Fame Chief Lyons is a constantly sought-after speaker, a subject of several documentaries, films and a tireless advocate for American Indian causes and Indigenous rights. Oren is a founding member of One Bowl Productions and serves as a constant reminder of humanity’s responsibilities to the earth and our future generations. <Back

Pine Creek Frist Nation 282 Officials Jerod Phillips Cherokee Gary Hull Inupiaq Danny McCourt Algonquin/Iroquois Brian Chrupalo Pine Creek Frist Nation 282 Michael Thomas St. Croix Ojibwe

< Back Nicole Johnson Nicole Johnson Inupiaq Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2022 Nicole Johnson’s passion for Inuit games started in fifth grade when she learned how to do the Two-Foot High Kick after church in a youth program. Inuit games are games that were played to build the survival skills Indigenous people of the North played to develop the skills need for everyday survival and just for fun. In seventh grade, Nicole entered her first competition at the 1982 Native Youth Olympics (NYO), taking first place in the Two-Foot High Kick. She continued to compete through high school, at NYO, the World Eskimo Indian Olympics (WEIO), and the Arctic Winter Games (AWG). After high school she continued to compete until 2004, over the years winning over 100 medals, earning the outstanding athlete award, and sportsmanship award, at various competitions. She has set records in several events over the years, setting her first record in the Two-Foot High Kick at the 1985 NYO and continued to break her record until the 1989 WEIO, kicking 6’6”. This record held for 25 years. Her record in the Two-Foot High Kick at AWG, still holds at 6’5”. In 2017, Nicole was inducted into the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame, as an athlete and ambassador to Native Games. Nicole is the former chairwoman of WEIO, and current President of AWG Team Alaska. Nicole currently works with the Cook Inlet Tribal Council, coaching youth, training officials, assists with organizing the statewide Native Youth Olympics competitions, and acting as the head official for many different competitions. Her passion for the Inuit games continues by sharing and preserving the rich history and culture of these sports through coaching, instruction at schools, throughout Alaska, the lower 48, and the Yukon territories. Photo: Cook Inlet Tribal Council <Back

Brady Fairbanks Category Athlete Tribe Leech Lake Ojibwe Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 8/11/1989 Brady Fairbanks, 2007 graduate of Cass Lake Bena High School (MN), was a Minnesota High School All-State athlete in football and basketball. During his high school career, Fairbanks was a three-year starter on the basketball team leading CLB to an 83-11 record, including 42-0 in conference play. In 2006-2007, he led CLB to the Class A State Championship game where the team came up just shy of victory in a memorable game. Accomplishments include: • Conference MVP (‘06 and ‘07), • Section 6 MVP (‘06 and ‘07), • Honorable Mention State (‘06), • 2nd Team All State (‘07), • McDonald’s All-American Nominee, • Minnesota Native American Athlete of the Year, • National High School Player of the Year (Native Elite Showcase) Fairbanks accepted a full scholarship to NCAA DII Bemidji State University, becoming a starter and earning a spot on the All-Freshman Team in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Transferring to Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU) after his junior year, Fairbanks had a historical year becoming the school’s first male athlete to become a NAIA All-American. Accomplishments include: • 7th nationally in scoring (20.9), • 14th in rebounding (6.3), • First Team All-Conference, • Conference New-Comer of the Year, • Team MVP, • 1,000+ Points (Collegiate Career). Photos: Haskell Athletics and Ryan White Home Film Screenings 2026 2026 Banquet 2026 Banquet Sponsorship About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

< Back Alexis Desjarlait Alexis Desjarlait Red Lake Band of Ojibwe Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Alexis Desjarlait has been involved with athletics since she could remember. She was on the Bemidji Bombers traveling team from 3rd grade until 5th grade then attending her first year of AAU basketball. In between that time frame, she was on the Bemidji Blaze fastpitch team as well. Desjarlait played volleyball, basketball and softball for six years at a varsity level and carried that three-sport athletics at Hibbing Community College (HCC). The 2018 high school graduate scored 2,190 points for Red Lake to rank second in program history and also had a total of 995 rebounds. The Warriors had a 129-25 record during her career and headlined the programs first-ever run to the state tournament in 2017. The success carried over with her 44-13 record at HCC. In two seasons as a Cardinal, Desjarlait scored a school-record 1,057 points and grabbed 512 rebounds. She was the All-Region XIII MVP and an NJCAA Division III All-American honorable mention selection in 2019-20. Desjarlait also earned spots on the Minnesota College Athletic Conference’s All-Northern Division First Team and All-State First Team in both her freshman and sophomore campaigns, and she cracked the MCAC All-Defensive Team during the 2020 season. In 2018-19, she led the Cardinals to their first-ever national tournament appearance. Desjarlait was also awarded Region XIII MVP 2020. She is now a junior at NCAA Division III Concordia University Chicago. <Back

Brent Reiter Category Athlete Tribe Menominee Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 10/3/1981 Brent Reiter attended Shawano High School in Shawano, Wisconsin from 1996-2000 and excelled in both Cross Country and Track & Field. Reiter was state champion in the 1600m run at the 2000 WIAA State Track & Field Championships and state runner-up at the 1999 WIAA State Cross Country Championships. He was a seven-time state qualifier, six-time sectional champion, ten-time Bay Conference Champion, a seven-time varsity letter winner, school record holder in the 1600m run, and led the Hawks to two straight Bay Conference Cross Country team titles in 1997 and 1998. Reiter was named Shawano High School male athlete of the year in 1999-2000. After graduating from Shawano High School in 2000, Reiter attended Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI) in Albuquerque, New Mexico from 2000-2002. He participated in Cross Country, Track & Field, and the Marathon. Reiter was a two-time National Champion, four-time National runner-up, nine-time All-American, an academic All-American, and led SIPI to two straight National Cross Country team titles in 2000 and 2001. Reiter also attended Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky in 2002-2003. He earned First Team All-Conference honors for Cross Country in 2002. Reiter was inducted into the Shawano Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010. Home Film Screenings 2026 2026 Banquet 2026 Banquet Sponsorship About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

< Back Angelo Baca Angelo Baca Diné/Hopi Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2022 Angelo Baca is a cultural activist, scholar, filmmaker and currently a doctoral student in anthropology at New York University. He is the cultural resources coordinator at Utah Diné Bikéyah, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the defense and protection of culturally significant ancestral lands. The National Parks Conservation Association recently designated him as one of “10 Under 40” dynamic cultural activists who make up the association’s Next Generation Advisory Council. He has published a widely read op-ed in the New York Times. Shash Jaa’: Bears Ears is Angelo Baca’s latest award-winning film about the five tribes of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition that worked together to protect 1.9 million acres of Utah wilderness through a national monument designation. His work reflects a long-standing dedication to both Western and Indigenous knowledge. Baca is also the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Champion in Cross Country and on the outdoor track in the 3000 meters steeplechase and 5000 meters in 2002-03. He also is a seven-time NJCAA All American in Cross Country, Track and the Half Marathon. Currently, he is training for trail races and long distances runs across Indigenous landscapes in Navajo country. <Back